U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,137 of Nov. 28, 1972 defines certain relatively stable particulate essential oil-rich compositions and a process for preparing the same. In the commercial practice of this prior invention, a melt of sucrose and hydrolyzed cereal solids having a selected, restricted dextrose equivalent is mixed with an essential oil to form an emulsion. The melt is then extruded into cool, agitated isopropanol to produce solidified saccharated particulates entrapping the oil inside them while washing off exposed oil. After drying, the product particulates are usually coated with an anticaking agent. They are stated, in the patent, to be suitable for use in flavoring and/or odorizing beverage powders, pastries, and other ultimate products. Dissolution of the saccharated matrix in water releases the essential oil.
Advantages of the instant invention over this and related prior proposals such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,180 include an ability to protect effectively active ingredients for a much wider variety of end-use applications, to make particles free of sucrose and other sugars when desired, and even to control the rate of release of the encapsulated active ingredients to a much greater degree than ever before possible.